When Worlds Collide (MxM)?

Chapter 19 - Going Slow

Each one of them had black hair and green eyes. Just like Aino...

Nyx had told him about how he and Toca once fought for Aino's affection. But Kade had been under the impression that Toca was over his crush. Was he wrong?

"Kade. Welcome." The king gestured for him to get closer as the consorts dispersed. Allowing the two to talk freely.

Kade had never held private counsel with Toca before and grew nervous. "Hello, your majesty."

"Don't be so stiff. I won't hurt you." He smiled gracefully.

By all means, Toca looked androgynous. If he changed into more feminine clothing Kade would have assumed him to be a woman. And he wondered why only some Terrans grew with strong gendered features while others didn't.

"Talk with me. I'd like to know how things are progressing with you and Aino." His eyes flit to Kade's neck.

Kade subconsciously touched a mark. "It's...Progressing."

Toca quirked an eyebrow at him. "I just spoke with him and he insists on working through his season. As his new mate, I was hoping you'd convince him otherwise. Especially after what happened during his first one."

"It's not that simple. You know I'm not...That I'm human. He's afraid he'll hurt me, so we're taking it slow."

"Really?" He leaned in and took a deep breath. "Your scent says you two aren't going as slow as you say."

Now Kade's face was beet red. "You can smell that?!"

"Everyone can. It's an intoxicating scent. Different from what someone in season would normally smell like."

"Aino never mentioned it..."

"Aino is a little distracted with his own season. In his state, you'd smell wonderful no matter what."

Kade didn't know what to say to that. In his embarrassment, he forgot how to speak to the king and went silent.

Toca grabbed a lock of Kade's hair and let it fall through his fingers. "I'm glad he finally found a mate at least. He never seemed interested before, and I was beginning to worry that he would grow old in that lab before ever finding someone. That's why I started the inventor's initiative."

"The what?"

"Remember why you built that tower? I had sent word out hoping that one day, a brilliant mind would come forward, making something marvelous enough to impress that stubborn man."

Kade's jaw dropped. "You mean that you weren't planning to send money to the villages?"

"Of course I was! I'm a king, I have to keep my word or the kingdom would riot. Playing matchmaker for Aino was the original purpose, but plenty of good has come of it too. I've found several intelligent individuals who have begun helping bring our land into the new age. You and Aino included."

Recalling his first encounter with Aino, everything suddenly made sense. Toca had been forcing every new inventor to become Aino's apprentice in the hope that the man would fancy them. Knowing how much Aino hated socializing, Kade understood his extra curt behavior during their first meeting.

With how smart he was, Aino had most likely caught on to Toca's matchmaking scheme and grew tired of it.

But it technically worked.

"Does that mean you've stopped with the initiative? Now that me and Aino are together?"

"That would be foolish. Encouraging innovation has proven to be beneficial. So I'll be keeping the initiative alive. Also, you can't quite say you two are together until you mate."

"Why not? I'm marked." He pointed to the duplicate hickeys.

"I'm assuming you don't know since you have different traditions. But in our land, we tend to mate first and bond later."

"Seriously?"

"If you look attractive, or do something that would make someone go into season, then mating is expected. And after the season they decide if they want to stay together. That's when it's official. Being marked only prevents someone else from mating with you."

"So if the sex isn't good, then they go their separate ways? That's what determines everything?"

"Kind of. Why? Are you not confident with yourself?"

"I'm not a Terran! I don't even know if we have the same anatomy!"

Realization dawned on the king. "Oh. I hadn't considered that."

"So if I can't be good at that, then you're saying Aino won't want to be with me?" Kade clutched his head in panic and began pacing. "He wouldn't do that though. At least I don't think he will. No. He hated me at first. But what if he decides we're best to remain as work partners instead? He likes the things I make so there's that, but...Oh, what am I going to do?"

"I didn't mean to alarm you." The king's usual confident smirk was replaced with an uncertain frown. "You're the only one who has ever sparked his interest. I'd assume-"

"What if he loses all interest because of me? What if it's so bad he never takes a mate again? And it would be all my fault!"

"Kade. I order you to calm down!" Toca spoke in a much sterner voice, helping snap the human out of his spiral. Then it returned to normal with his next words. "Do not overthink things. Just because mating is usually how relationships start, doesn't mean it's the only way. Why, I'd known Aino for years before I decided to try and make him a consort. Had he not rejected me and chose to be male, it wouldn't have mattered what he was like in bed."

Lowering his hands, Kade let his words sink in.

"Does that calm your mind?"

"A little."

If he had gotten anything out of this conversation, it was that he was trying to move too fast. He needed to get a better grasp of the Terrans' convoluted mating ritual.

"Good." King Toca smiled again, then had a servant appear at his side with a rolled-up piece of paper. Opening the scroll, Toca's whole mood shifted.

"Kade. Get Aino and meet me in the Throne room. It seems the Carnivore Kingdom has made another request."

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A/N: Boom! Toca's true intentions revealed. And yeah I know the dating explanation is confusion. But let's face it, real life dating is also confusing.